Composite contrast color embossed displays



April 14, 1970 J. l. DEAN COMPOSITE CONTRAST COLOR EMBOSSED DISPLAYSFiled Feb. 1, 1965 INVENTOR JOHN L DEA N BY 2 Z Z ATTORN Y5 UnitedStates Patent US. Cl. 161-44 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Abacking strip for a composite contrast color embossed display, thebacking strip comprising a plastic sheet of predetermined width andthickness and indeterminate length, the sheet having first and secondsurfaces and a substantially uniform color throughout the thicknessthereof. Beveled margins are provided along edges defining the width ofthe strip. Each of the surfaces is treated so as to enable a pressuresensitive adhesive to be attached thereto. A layer of pressure sensitiveadhesive is attached to one of the surfaces and a detachable protectivebacking is removably adhered to the exposed surface of the adhesivelayer. The plastic sheet is preferably fabricated of a W densitypolyethylene.

The invention relates to composite contrast color embossed displays andin particular to such embossed displays in which the embossed display isframed by an outer border of suitable color.

It is now Well known that a contrast color embossment may be provided incertain sheeted thermoplastic resins by means of cold dies. In thismanner, plastic displays such as labels, signs, plates, badges, tags,etc. having contrasting color embossments are provided quickly,conveniently and without complex or expensive equipment.

The plastic sheet materials which are generally employed in themanufacture of such articles are usually supplied in the form ofrelatively thin tapes and most frequently have a substantially uniformbackground color upon which the contrast color lettering or enfigurementis embossed.

While displays fabricated of such materials have proved quiteacceptable, it has been found that displays having greater aestheticappeal can be derived from the use of such materials and techniques byaffixing the embossed plastic sheet, by means of a pressure sensitiveadhesive on its back, to the face of a second plastic sheet, or backingstrip, having a color contrasting with the background color of the firstsheet. By making the second sheet some what larger in area than thefirst sheet, a border of contrasting color can be provided around thefirst sheet. The effect is enhanced by providing a second sheet ofrelatively greater thickness than the first sheet and beveling theperipheral edges thereof. If the second sheet has a contrasting colorthroughout its thickness, such beveling will produce a beveled margin ofcontrasting color and establish an aesthetically appealing frame aroundthe perimeter of the first sheet. The assembled first and second sheetsthus form a composite contrast color embossed display.

The backing is formed of flexible sheeting to facilitate its adherenceto curved surfaces and is of such a material which will be non-migratoryso that none of its elements will migrate into and damage the pressuresensitive film. A pressure sensitive adhesive is applied to the back ofboth the contrast color tape and the backing tape and suitable releasefilms are laminated to the back side of the pressure sensitive adhesivefor protection of the adhesive 3,506,528 Patented Apr. 14, 1970 filmbefore application to the surface to which the tape is to be affixed.

The invention may be described briefly as a backing strip for acomposite contrast color embossed display, the backing strip comprisinga palstic sheet of predetermined Width and thickness and indeterminatelength, the sheet having first and second surfaces and a substantillyuniform color throughout the thickness thereof. Beveled margins areprovided along edges defining the Width of the strip. Each of thesurfaces is treated so as to enable a pressure sensitive adhesive to beattached thereto. A layer of pressure sensitive adhesive is attached toone of the surfaces and a detachable protective backing is removablyadhered to the exposed surface of the adhesive layer. The plastic sheetis preferably fabricated of a low density polyethylene.

It is an important object of the invention to provide a backing tape ofsingle color onto which a contrast color embossed tape may be aflixed sothat the embossed tape is framed by the backing tape.

It is a further object of the invention to provide such a backing tapewhich is beveled on all sides surrounding the embossed tape to enhancethe framing effect.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a compositecontrast color embossed display in which the background color of theembossed tape is framed by contrasting color.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide such acomposite contrast color embossed tape which may be used for labels,tags, signs, plates, etc. and which may be easily and readily applied tosurfaces of various conformation and texture.

These and other objects, features, advantages and uses will be apparentduring the course of the following description when taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the contrast color embossed tape beingapplied to the surface of the backing tape which is being dispensed froma roll of indeterminate length;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of a finished composite framed, contrast color,embossed display of the invention; and

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIGURE2, viewed in the direction of the arrows.

Contrast color tape 10 is seen to comprise plastic sheet 12 on which areembossed enfigurements 14 of contrasting color to that of the backgroundof plastic sheet 12 and pressure sensitive adhesive 16. Plastic sheet 12has a length and width defined by peripheral edegs 17 which aregenerally perpendicular to the face of sheet. A release film islaminated to the back of pressure sensitive adhesive 16 for protectionof the adhesive film before the tape 10 is applied to the backing tapeor to any other surface. Plastic sheet 12 is of the order of .003" to.02" thick and adhesive film 16 is of the order of .002" thick.

Backing sheet 18 is fed from a roll of indeterminate length 26 andcomprises flexible sheeting 20 to the under surface of which is appliedpressure sensitive adhesive film 22. Release backing film 24 islaminated to the back of the pressure sensitive adhesive to protect theadhesive film before application. Flexible sheeting 20 is provided withlongitudinal 45 bevels 19 and 21. Bevels 23 and 25 are cut in the sheet20 using a suitable tool capable of severing the sheet and establishingthe bevels.

Plastic sheet 20 is formed of any flexible material which is flexibleenough to permit it to be easily applied to curved surfaces. The colorof sheet 20 is chosen to contrast with the background color of sheet 12and extends throughout the thickness of the sheet 20. Low densitypolyethylene is preferred because it possesses non-migratory propertiesin that it contains no plasticizers or other materials which willmigrate into and damage the pressure sensitive adhesive. The surfaces ofsheet 20 are electrostatically treated, chemically oxidized, flametreated or otherwise processed to produce surfaces having maximumadhesion to the pressure sensitive adhesive. Sheet 20 is of the order of.025" thick and the bevel is preferably at 45 Pressure sensitiveadhesive 22 is a film approximately .002" thick and is formed of amaterial which has good aging properties when exposed to heat, air andlight. Release film 24 is preferably formed of polyethylene and is ofthe order of .004" thick. It serves to protect the adhesive film priorto applying the tape to another surface.

Finished composite contrast color embossed displays of the invention maybe produced as follows: tape sheet is embossed in the manner well knownin the art; the release film on the back of sheet 10 isremoved therebyexposing the pressure sensitive film 16. Embossed tape 10 is applied tothe top surface of backing sheet 18 until it is applied thereto alongits total length such that tape sheet 10 is adhered to the top surfaceof backing sheet 18 with the embossed enfigurements 14 raised from thetop surface of the backing sheet as illustrated at 26 in FIGURE 3. Then,the backing sheet is severed from the roll and the bevels 23 and 25 areestablished along lateral edges of the sheet. Now, the release film 24is removed from the back of the sheet and the combination is applied tothe desired surface.

Since the perimeter of the backing sheet must be greater than that ofthe embossed sheet, it is obvious that the backing sheet must beslightly wider than the embossed sheet and the severed length of thebacking sheet must be slightly longer than the embossed sheet. Becausethe color of the backing sheet extends throughout the thickness of thesheet and the bevels 19, 21, 23 and 25 extend from the peripheral edges17 to the full length and width of the backing sheet 18, the beveledmargin along the peripheral edge of backing sheet 20 will establish aframe of color around the perimeter of sheet 12, with the color of theframe contrasting with the background color of sheet 12.

While a particular embodiment of the invention has been shown anddescribed, it is apparent to those skilled in the art that modificationsare possible without departing from the spirit of the invention or thescope of the subjoined claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A composite contrast color embossed display comprising incombination:

a first plastic sheet of predetermined length and width having a face ofsubstantially uniform background color and at least one embossmentthereon raised from said face and having a color contrasting with thebackground color, said length and width defining peripheral edges whichare generally perpendicular to said face;

a second plastic sheet of a length and width greater than the respectivelength and width of the first plastic sheet and having color throughoutthe thickness thereof contrasting with said background color of thefirst sheet, said second plastic sheet having opposite first and secondgenerally planar surfaces;

a first layer of pressure sensitive adhesive securing said first sheetto said first surface of said second sheet with said embossment raisedfrom said first surface;

beveled margins along the peripheral edges of said second sheetextending between the peripheral edges of the first sheet and the lengthand width of said second sheet thereby establishing a frame ofcontrasting color around the perimeter of said first sheet;

a second layer of pressure sensitive adhesive attached to the secondsurface of the second sheet; and

a detachable protective backing removably adhered to the exposed surfaceof said second adhesion layer.

2. A composite contrast color embossed display of claim 1 wherein saidsecond plastic sheet is fabricated of a low density polyethylene.

3. A backing strip for use in a composite contrast color embosseddisplay, which display includes first and second plastic sheets securedto one another by means of a first layer of pressure sensitive adhesive,the first plastic sheet being of predetermined length and width andhaving a face of substantially uniform background color with at leastone embossment thereon raised from said face and having a colorcontrasting with the background color, said length and width definingperipheral edges which are generally perpendicular to said face, saidbacking strip comprising:

a second plastic sheet of predetermined width greater than the width ofthe first sheet and indeterminate length having color contrasting withsaid background color, said second plastic sheet having opposite firstand second surfaces;

beveled margins along edges defining said width and extending betweenthe first and second surfaces to establish a first surface of a widthcorresponding to the Width of the first plastic sheet and a secondsurface of said greater width;

the contrasting color of said second sheet extending throughout thethickness of the sheet such that said sheet may be severed to establisha backing strip of any predetermined length with beveled margins alongthe peripheral edges thereof and with said contrasting color displayedthroughout said beveled margins;

the first surface of the second plastic sheet being capable of receivingthe first plastic sheet with the first adhesive layer maintaining saidfirst and second sheets secured to one another with said embossmentraised from said first surface and the beveled margins establishing aframe of contrasting color around the perimeter of said first sheetbetween the peripheral edges of the first sheet and the second surfaceof the second sheet;

a second layer of pressure sensitive adhesive attached to the secondsurface of the second sheet; and

a detachable protective backing removably adhered to the exposed surfaceof said second adhesive layer.

4. A backing strip of claim 3 wherein said second plas- D tic sheet isfabricated of a low density polyethylene.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 232,965 10/1880 Hastings 161-1183,309,257 3/1967 Borack 16l406 ROBERT F. BURNETT, Primary Examiner R. J.ROCHE, Assistant Examiner US. 01. X.R.

